The Beatles – Let It Be

I immediately fell in love with this pressing. It doesn't sound as perfect and clear as the UK pressing, but it has a lot more soul. This pressing has a special, natural charm. I've never heard "Let It Be" sound so beautiful.

Amazing pressing of the one Beatles album that has never gotten the respect it deserves. Seriously - listening to this pressing was like hearing the record for the first time all over again. When that rich and textured but crystal clear guitar solo in "Let it Be" bits, boy I teared up a little bit. Now - to be fair - I'm no Mr. Moneybags and have never had the pleasure of listening to an early UK pressing. I've been bumming around with a couple of cheap American pressings. But still, this is a great option for anyone in the market for a great-sounding copy of this great album.

The 1st pressing German Let It Be LP is an excellent sounding release; the vinyl is quieter than typical UK vinyl from the same period (1970-71) and the German is FAR more affordable than the early UK pressings.

I have scored 2 flawless German 1st pressings with the full-gloss laminated cover and the "gray apple" label on side 2 (later German pressings have a WHITE "sliced apple" label on side 2); both cost me less than $40 including shipping and one was only $25 for a NM/NM example.

Audiophiles who have become frustrated trying to track down a U.K. 1st pressing of Let It Be with the 2u/2u or an early 3u/3u matrix... will definitely want to give the German 1st pressing of Let It Be a try. I have both, and both are equally enjoyable, if just slightly different sonically.

The sonics are similar; the early U.K. Let It Be LP has a bit more ambient & extended treble and SLIGHTLY better overall transparency, but the German 1st pressing has killer dynamics, superb imaging and focus, and a very natural, musical presentation (particularly with the vocals and acoustic guitars/piano) The German has far superior bass in comparison to the UK pressing, also.

It is getting to the point now, in early 2015, that an early U.K. Let It Be with a red apple on the rear cover and 2u/2u matrices (this usually means it was originally part of a PXS 1 box set) fetches CRAZY money for anything even close to NM- or even EX+... a 2u/2u matrix Let It Be with a green apple on the back cover in NM/NM s still going to be a $75 to $100 purchase for a USA buyer paying shipping from the UK. (If it TRULY IS NM!!)

Just as the 1st pressing German White Album with the SMO catalog prefix and a top-loader cover competes very tightly with the UK "top loader"... so to do the German and UK Let It Be 1st pressings compare very closely.

For the economics of it, I'd go with the German every time. If you can afford it (and are a true Beatles freak, of course) buy BOTH! They are both audiophile LPs and different enough to make it worthwhile.

-- BTW, the 1973 2nd pressing that retains the 1C062 04433 Y catalog number is still an excellent sounding LP and even more affordable than the 1st pressing. It lacks some of the startling dynamics and "you are there" vocals of the 1st pressing but is a great bargain.